William b



(No Model.)

. Lamp.

No. 239,847. Patented April 5; i881.

7 minimum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. ROBINS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO..

LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,847, dated April 5,1881.

Application filed September 6, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. RoBINs, of

Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a construction of Argand lamp adapted for theuse of kerosene and other mineral oils with safety and with freedom fromunpleasant odor, and the production of light on a more extended andvariable scale than has been heretofore practicable by a flame ofabsolutely uniform height around its circuit from an exceptionally highmaximum flame down to one just short of com plete extinguishment.

My invention is further beneficial in ena bling the use, for actualcontact with the flame, of a cheaper and also better wick material thanthose customarily employed,and is also useful in affording a secure andconvenient means of promptly extinguishing the flame.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents, partly in elevationand partly in ax ial section, a kerosene-lamp embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a section on the line w 00.

My oil-fount A has the represented annular form, so as to afford acentral passage, B, which serves the double purpose of a draftway androom for the adjusting mechanism of the inner movable tube, hereinafterdescribed.

My wick is stationary, and preferably in two pieces, and of twodissimilar materials.

A portion of my wickway is stationary, as usual, but of considerablyless height than that of the wick. It is composed of two tubes, of whichthe outer one, 0, is fixed by its lower edge to the top of theoil-fount. The inner tube, D, is fixed at its lower edgein the bottom ofthe oil-fount, of which it constitutes the inner wall. The upper edgesof both tubes stand at the same level. The wickspace thus formedreceives a permanentwick, E, which extends from the bottom of the fountto about mid-height of the wickway. This permanent wick (which may be ofthe customary woven or plaited material) never comes in contact with theflame.

Resting upon the permanent wick E, so that its lower half occupiesthesaid wiokway, is my upper wick or wick-section, F, which ispreferably of bibulous paper of about one-eighth of (N 0 model.)

an inch thickness. As neither wick-section is intended to be moved orshifted after its insertion in the lamp, I provide, to enable theregulation of the height of the flame, two slidable sheaths orregulating-tubes, of which one tube, G, closely surrounds the outerfixed tube, 0, and p the other tube, H, fits snugly within the innerfixed tube, D. The upper edges of the regu- 6o lating-tubes G H are bentinward suffioiently to hug, without pressing, the upper wick-sec tion onboth sides. Each of these sheathingtubes has, preferably, its separatemechanism for moving it up or down.

For operating the outer sheath, G, I give a portion of its lower edge aspiral form, as represented at g, Fig. 1, which edge is made to rideupon the top of a wire, I, which is soldered in a vertical position tothe outer surface of the outer fixed tube, 0. Knobs or handles J, thatproject outwardly from the sheath Gr, enable it to be rotated to rightor left, so as to elevate or depress it at will. Any desiredrapidity ofadjustment of the sheath G is obtained by giving said spiral edge acorresponding steepness of pitch.

The inner sheath, H, I prefer to operate in a direct vertical line bymeans of a central screw, K, which, being tapped within a sta- 8otionary cross -bar, L, is coupled by swiveljoint M to another cross-barupon the said sheath. A knob or milled head, It, at .the lower extremityof the screw, enables the op-. erator to turn it to right or left, andthus to lower or raise-the said sheath.

While the adjustment of the outer sheath, G, is preferably somewhatrapid, that of the inner sheath, H, is relatively much slower, each complete rotation of the screw operating to eleo vate said sheath onlythepitch of the screw, which may be of any desired fineness for thatpurpose.

N may represent a customary screw-capped feed-neck.

The fount A is upheld a convenient distance above the base or foot 0 bytwo or more legs, P.

Q represents an annular gallery or bracket for support of any suitableglass chimney, B. This gallery, which is supported on pillars W, has itsinner edge so much larger than the wickway as to leave an annularopening, q, between it and the said wickway.

T represents a perforated diaphragm, and

U a deflecting disk or button, upheld on stem V from cross-brace.-

With the exception of the chimney the entire lamp proper, or portionabove the stand 0 P, is preferably composed of sheet metal.

The tubes 0 D G H are preferably formed out of tinned sheet-iron, eachtube being constructed of a rectangular strip whose ends are sodouble-seamed together, as at S, as to present smooth cylindricalsurfaces at those parts of the tubes which come in contact and rubagainst each other in the operations of adjustment. This mode ofjunction I prefer to solderin g, because not liable to be injuriouslyaffected by heat. That portion of the seam of tube D which constitutesthe inner wall of the fount may, however, be closed with solder toprevent leakage.

The separate adjust-ability of the inner and the outer sheaths enables agreat variety of manipulations, resulting in as many diverse effectsupon the flame. For example, acondition of the respective sheaths, inwhich G is below, and H is slightly above, the wick-level, isaccompanied by a high and very brilliant flame. After insertion of thewicks the sheaths are both elevated to the level of the wick-edge, andthe wick is then trim med to match the top edges of the sheaths. Thewick itself, being undisturbed after being trimmed, remains at aconstant true level, with a consequent even flame, forming a continuousring of light of any desired size or delicacy.

The inner sheath, H, being elevated above the wick-level, the lamp canbe instantly and safely extinguished by raising the outer sheath alsoabove the wick-level.

The described system of stationary wicks in two portions, onesuperimposed upon the other, permits the employment for the uppersection of so cheap and at the same time efficient a material asbibulous paper, (blottingpaper,) which can be manufactured inrectangular strips and put up and sold in blocks or pads at a lowfigure, the user putting each strip into cylindrical form beforeinsertion in the wickway. Such wicks may, however, be made and sold incylindrical form ready for use. The wick, if of bibulous paper, ispreferably calendered on its outer surfaces, the interior being left ina spongy and porous condition. After being formed, the cylindrical wicksmay be flattened and, being cut into out of shape and position by theaction of the wick-elevator the wick may be made of cheap non-textilematerial-such as paper or feltwhich is more easily and perfectly trimmedto a smooth level edge than is the thready or -up to twelve or moreinches.

ligamentous structure of woven wicks; capacity for greater nicety ofgraduations of flame is afforded by the facilities for separate andindependent exposure of the interior and exterior surfaces of the wick,each sheath by its separate movement effecting one-half only of suchuncovering or covering, as compared with the ordinary wick-movement inthe common wickway; facility for burning low for night use withoutimperfect combustion and withoutnoxious odors facility for prompt andsafe extinguishment; the air-channel, formed by the annular opening q inthe gallery Q, acts to conduct a blast of hot air to the exterior of theflame, and to force it upward, and also operates to keep the wickwaycool.

The present illustration is to a scale of six inches to the foot, andrepresents what I designate a No. 4 lamp on my planthat is to say, alamppossessing a wickway of four inches diameter. My device is, however,well adapted for use with wickways of various sizes-from half an inchdiameter of wickway In some cases, especially for the larger sizes, mywickway may have an elliptical, rectangular, oblong, or polygonalcross-section, in which case the outer sheath will be adjustedvertically, instead of spirally.

My double or composite wick principle is applicable to flat wickways,either with two independently-adjustable sheaths, as above described, orotherwise; but inasmuch as I contemplate making such the subject ofaseparate application for patent, I make no claim to such specialadaptation of the idea in this.

While preferring bibulous paper, as above, for the material of my upperwick-section, I may employ other material, such as rolled cotton, orwoolen cloth, or felted asbestus, or mineral wool.

For greater security and stability theonter stationary wick-tube, C, mayextend downand be fastened to the fount-floor, openings being formed inthe said extended portion for the passage of oil.

I claim as new and of my invention-- 1. The combination, with a low andstationary wickway or holder, of the outer and inner separatelyadjustable sheaths or regulators G H, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as described, of outer sheath having asteep spiral edge for quick adjustment, and inner sheath provided withcentral screw, K, for nice or slow adjustment.

3. The combination of annular fount or reservoir A, fixed tubes 0 D, andinclosing vertically adjustable sheaths G H, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM B. ROBINS.

Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, J. L. LOGAN.

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